Ladder supported bracket or jack



April 20, 1954 T. BUDY 2,675,982

LADDER SUPPORTED BRACKET OR JACK Filed Sept. 11, 1951 r00fl 500V,

INVENTOR.

Patente cl Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Teddy Budy, Bakersfield, Calif. Application September 11, 1951, Serial No. 245,994

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to attachable and detachable brackets, and particularly to such a bracket which may be rapidly attached to and detached from ladders, such as step ladders, for supporting objects such as sashes, screens, pails, etc.

The desirability of such a bracket and certain types of such brackets are evidenced by U. S. Patents No. 2,015,378, No. 2,398,617, and No. 2,451,020. The present invention is an improvement over prior brackets because it can be manufactured economically, each bracket can be quickly adjusted from position to position along the ladder, each bracket grips the ladder and thereby remains in a fixed position, the load on the bracket increasing the grip of the bracket on the ladder, and each bracket is provided with an end stop not dangerous to screen and similar objects. The brackets are stamped from strip metal of any suitable type, to which is attached a ball stop or a stop is formed from a narrow end extension bent into a loop.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the support of objects on a ladder.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bracket quickly attachable to and detachable from a ladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide an economical step ladder bracket which grips the ladder and increases its grip with increases in the load placed thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a step ladder bracket with a safety end stop.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claim, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bracket embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the bracket in use on v a step ladder.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the bracket attached to a step ladder, and

Fig. 4 is a partial view of a bracket showing a modification of the end stop thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the same numerals identify like elements, the bracket shown generally at 5 ismade of a flat metal strip bent or formed into a U shape with a long leg" section 8 and a short leg section 'I. The separation between sections 6 and l accommodates the rails of a ladder as explained hereinafter. The upper edge of section 6 has teeth or serrations 8 extending over the outer end portion thereof to adjust the lower edge Iii of a screen or window it to any desired distance from the uprights or rails E2 of the ladder.

The ladder shown in Fig. 2 has front rails l2, rear struts it, top platform I4, and a hinged spacer brace I5. Steps H are provided between rails I2 with their supporting rods and washers i8.

Referring again to bracket 5, the upper edge of the central portion of the curved section 26 is cut in two places, the cuts extending over substantially one-third of the height of the bracket. The portion between the cuts is then bent inwardly at an angle approximately of 45 degrees to the vertical to provide a gripping spur 2!, the outer rim of the spur 2! being sharpened, if desired, to provide a sharp edge thereon.

The other end 23 of the bracket is beveled or tapered upwardly to a point to which is attached by spot welding or other suitable means, a balllike end stop 24 rising above the upper edge of section 8. This stop is smooth and its shape provides protection to windows, doors, screens, etc., if they should slide over the bracket or be leaned up against it.

A modification of the end stop is shown in Fig. 4. In this form, a bracket having a long section 26 with serrations 21 similar to section '6 and serrations 3 of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, has a narrow end extension shown in dotted lines 28 bent into a loop 29 to form the end stop. These end stops 2d and 29 provide protection against the slipping of supported objects from the brackets. Pails such as shown at 30 may be hung adjacent the stops.

As mentioned above, the brackets are rapidly attached to and detached from the rails I2 by simply gripping the portion of brackets having the serrated edges, slipping the U portion around the rails l2 and sharply pulling the brackets into position above the steps ii. The edges of the gripping spurs 2i slightly out or bite into the edges of the rails l2, as shown at 3!, to prevent any raising of the U ends of the brackets when a load is placed on the other ends thereof. In fact, the heavier the load, the more the spurs grip the rails. However, this gripping action does not prevent the rapid detachment of the brackets from the rails, removal of the brackets requiring only a slight push to release them. The brackets may be stamped from sheet or strip material rapidly and economically and have been found to function satisfactorily in every way. A pair of brackets includes right and left-hand units, a left-hand unit being shown in Fig. 1. The righthand unit reverses the long and short ends 6 and 1.

I claim:

An attachment to a ladder for supporting articles comprising a U-shaped fiat strip having a Width considerably greater than. its thickness, said strip having a curved section joining'a short leg section and a long log section of substantially twice the length of said short leg section, the end' of said long leg section being tapered to: atip; a substantially spherical shaped extension attached to said tip and extending beyond the longer edge of said long leg section, the. longer edge of said long leg section adjacent said extension being serrated, and a spur at the central portion of said curved section formed from the edge of said strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 351,143 Whittingham Oct. 19, 1886 1,487,798. Nowicki Mar. 25, 1924 2,015,378: Dav-is Sept. 24, 1935 2,398,617 Casey Apr. 16, 1946 2,451,020 Davis Oct. 12, 1948 2,565,014 Beaty Aug. 21, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 380x232 Era-nee Oct. 2, 1907 

